


Circles

by turps



Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-24
Updated: 2011-10-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 22:35:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/268642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turps/pseuds/turps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes you know it's the end.  You just have to be brave enough to say so.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Circles

JC is the last to arrive. His skin itches and he longs for the days where he wore sparkly beads and chunky rings, anything he could worry and twist beneath his fingers. Instead he presses his hands against his sides and hurries past crew that nod and smile his way.

They're meeting in small room, deep in a labyrinth of corridors back stage. The others are sitting at a table in the corner. JC hesitates before stepping forward, his shoes tapping against the scuffed floor. He walks close and is greeted with brief smiles and closed expressions. They're some of his best friends, but he's never felt more alone.

He sits. Hard wooden chairs and Chris has his tipped back, balancing on two legs. He's drumming his fingers against his thigh and his mouth is tight, eyes lined, and JC knows if he gets too close he'll be pushed away.

He looks at Joey instead. The way he's looking down at the table, his uneaten sandwich and plate, criss-crossed tracks through spilled salt and JC knows he's thinking what to say, how he can make this better. JC should ease that burden, but he stays silent, selfishly needing that faint reassurance that this is the right thing to do.

"I've been thinking, and…." Joey hesitates, and they've seen everything over the years, become hardened to the betrayal and hardship of the life they live. This is different, this is _real_. Lance reaches across the table, rests his hand on Joey's as Chris lets his chair slam forward. He stands and stalks across the room. His shoulders tense as he leans over the water cooler. Each movement jagged as he pulls a cup from the holder and pushes it against the lever. The water bubbles with a huge belch of sound, and JC remembers when that would provoke laughter and jokes. But not now. JC looks away, unable to deal with Chris' issues on top of his own.

There's a screech of metal against tile. JC winces, listening to the squeak of sneakers against the floor, whispered words that become meaningless sound. He looks up, fingers curling tight when he sees Justin and Chris standing close. Justin talking softly, his attention focussed solely on Chris.

JC forces himself to look away. Instead he watches as Lance runs his thumb over Joey's hand, their fingers against the dull beige of the table-top. Joey's bitten nails and the slight shine of Lance's manicure. JC would know those hands anywhere and he wonders how he can retain so much knowledge about his friends, and it still ends with a fail.

"It shouldn't be like this." JC isn't talking to anyone in specific, just repeating words that lost meaning months before.

"But it is."

Lance is looking at JC, gaze collected and cool, and he's right. This is how it is, how it's been for a while. It's still wrong.

"We used to be friends." JC hates how he sounds, like he's mourning something that's already lost. Maybe it is. All he knows is it's been difficult lately.

"We still are," Joey says, and it sounds like he actually believes that. JC doesn't know if that makes him love or hate Joey more.

A quick look at Justin and Chris crushes the plastic cup, dropping it in the trash. He sits is his abandoned chair, elbows resting on the table, resting his head on his hand. Chris looks tired, they all do. It's been a long year.

"Joey's right." Chris straightens and leans back, arms crossed as he looks at them all. "We are friends, but we won't be if we keep going. I don't think we need to discuss this. It's obvious what the solution is, someone just needs to say it, and as I started this…." He stops, and JC's throat is aching is sympathy as Chris scrubs his hand roughly across his eyes. "I started this, and I'll end it. We need to stop, before there's no friendship left to save."

The words are expected, needed even, but they still hurt. Years of history ended in seconds, and in that moment it feels like something has died.

The distant thud of the stage being built, a radio playing in another room, life travelling on as JC remembers to breathe. He does, and discovers each breath is easier, because this needed an end.

"We need to mark this somehow." Joey's standing, and despite the shimmer of his eyes, he's smiling. The real smile that had become so rare. "We should have champagne, beer at least. Lance?"

"Like I carry alcohol around with me." Tilting back his head so he can look at Joey, Lance grins wide, relaxed and lounging in his chair. "You'll have to use water."

"Water it is then." Joey pulls free five cups, filling each one and handing them out as they all stand, gathering around.

"A toast." The plastic cup crinkles under JC's fingers as he holds it up. "To Nsync."

"To showing them boybands really can sing." Lance taps his cup against JC's.

"Vocal harmony group…" JC interrupts, then laughs when water is splashed into his face from four different directions.

"To embracing and playing with stereotypes." Chris holds his cup against the others.

"To _I Want You Back_ , and the countdown to never singing it again." There's laughter and agreement as Joey adds his toast. Which leaves Justin, who looks at them all, before he holds up his cup.

"To the fans, but more importantly. To friendship and the four best friends I could ever have."

Cups meet, and water spills over JC's hand. He ignores it, drinking quickly before he's engulfed in a hug. Hands and arms and shared strength and love, the bonds of friendship renewed once more. He stands still, his cheek pressed against the scruff of Chris' goatee, Lance's hand against his back. Joey tight against his side, the sound of Justin breathing.

These are JC's best friends, and he knows that today isn't the end. It's another beginning.


End file.
